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Govt receives 12,000 suggestions & objections for sale of wine at supermarkets
The state excise commissionerate has received over 12,000 suggestions and objections from different individuals and organisations regarding the state cabinet’s January 2022 decision, allowing the sale of wine at supermarkets and grocery shops having premises spread over 1,000 square feet
The state excise commissionerate has received over 12,000 suggestions and objections from different individuals and organisations regarding the state cabinet’s January 2022 decision, allowing the sale of wine at supermarkets and grocery shops having premises spread over 1,000 square feet. Of the 12,000, around 7,500 suggestions are positive with changes suggested whereas the remaining 4,500 are not in favour of the decision, government sources said.
Following the state cabinet decision, the state government had issued a draft notification inviting suggestions and objections from the larger citizenry across the state before going ahead with implementation on the ground. The move came after the state cabinet decision met with resistance from several quarters including the BJP, which at the time was in the opposition, and social activists like Anna Hazare.
State excise commissioner Kantilal Umap said that the excise department has received suggestions and objections through memorandums and emails. “Currently, we are sorting the communication received into two categories – for and against. The same data will be presented before the cabinet in the next two weeks’ time,” Umap said.
While All India Wine Producers’ Association president Jagdish Holkar said that the government had given 90 days’ time to complete the process but it has been delayed. “The process was to be completed by June 29 and all details had been released in the public domain to complete the process in a democratic way. A majority of the people have supported the decision while some have opposed it. This policy is very important for the wine industry as according to our survey, the decision will allow only around 600 wine-selling outlets, which is very less,” Holkar said.
“The distributors and retailers have a monopoly and dictate terms and due to that, unfair schemes are brought to market, leading to distress sale by wineries. The industry is stuck in this situation and we have been searching for a way out when the policy was formulated by the state government. Also, false information that the policy will promote the sale of wine at kirana stores has had a negative impact leading to delay in implementation of the decision,” Holkar said.
The All India Wine Producers’ Association has demanded swift implementation of the decision, citing that most of the suggestions received by the government are in favour of implementation of the policy. The draft rules framed by the government make it mandatory to set up a separate, lockable shelf of 2.25 cubic metre to store and retail wine. The draft rules also include distance-based restrictions for granting the licence. Supermarkets within a distance of 50 metre (in case of the municipal body jurisdiction) and 100 metre from any educational or religious institution or any statue of a national personality; and 100 metre from any bus stand, station or depot of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation will not be eligible.
The government had specified that the policy allows the sale of wine under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Act, wherein supermarket owners would pay the government a fee of ₹5,000 for selling wine through the ‘shelf-in-the-shop’ method. The government in its order had also disallowed the sale of wine near educational institutions and places of worship. Also, instructions were issued to ban the sale of wine in districts where prohibition was in vogue. The consumption of wine in Maharashtra is still considered to be low as compared to other forms of alcoholic beverages.
